We took the Fuji Excursion train from Tokyo to Kawaguchiko to fulfill our dream of visiting mt. Fuji. The only train that takes you there directly is the Fuji Excursion train. Easy enough right? Well figuring out how and where to book tickets can seem a bit daunting, so we’re here to help. In this blog we tell you everything you need to know about booking this train and which seats we recommend for a perfect Fuji view.
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What is the Fuji Excursion Train
The “Fuji Excursion” limited express train runs directly from Shinjuku station in Tokyo all the way to the town of Fuji Kawaguchiko. It does this in about 2 hours with very limited stops. Depending on the season the train runs 4 to 5 times a day.
This JR operated train is the only train to take you from Tokyo directly to the Mt. Fuji area. The train runs to 3 stations in the Fuji area: Fuji-san station, Fujikyu-highland and Kawaguchiko station. Unless you’re traveling to the Fuji-Q theme park, you’ll likely need to go to either Fuji-san station or Kawaguchiko. This mostly depends on which hotel you book.
For optimal views we recommend taking the train all the way to Kawaguchiko.
— Laurens & Laura’s Travel Tips —
Pro tip: Book your hotel in the Fuji area well in advance as they sell out quickly during peak travel seasons.
Where to buy tickets for the Mt. Fuji Train
As you can imagine this train gets very popular, especially in busy travel seasons. That’s why an advanced reservation for this train is most definitely recommended.
Trains leaving Tokyo early are especially in demand with people going on day trips, so be sure to make a reservation as soon as you can. The official ticketing website opens reservations 1 month before travel dates. When you reserve your tickets on the website, you can also immediately make a seat reservation on the website. Definitely do this, otherwise you might be standing.
If you want to be sure to get tickets as soon as you can, but can’t buy them exactly one month in advance there’s another option available. Through Klook you can make a pre-reservation and they will confirm the actual ticket once the official sales start.
This is a great option if you want to absolutely be sure of tickets. Keep in mind that this way you can only indicate your seat preference for window or aisle and not select them yourself.
— Laurens & Laura’s Travel Tips —
If you can’t book exactly one month in advance secure your tickets through Klook to be sure of a seat.
Tokyo to Mt. Fuji Train Ticket Price
For adults (12+) a ticket from Shinjuku to Kawaguchiko costs 4130 Yen. For children aged 6 – 11 a ticket costs: 2170 Yen. Children younger than six may go on the train free of charge unless they require a seat for themselves. In that case the children’s fare applies.
Where to pick-up your Fuji Train Tickets
If you book your tickets online you’ll need to exchange your reservation for actual paper tickets. You can only do this at big JR station in the Tokyo area, so keep this in mind if you’re coming from elsewhere in Japan.
Exchanging your reservation is very easy and can be done at either the ticket desk or at one of the ticket machines. If you’re in Tokyo already, our tip is to pick them up a few days before you’re heading to mt. Fuji. This way you’ll already have them and won’t have to lose any time on the day of departure.
Shinjuku Station to Fuji
The Fuji Excursion train leaves from Shinjuku station in Tokyo, which is one of the busiest train stations in all of Japan. It’s also crazy big so make sure to get there on time.
If you arrive with another JR train and haven’t got your tickets yet, make sure to exit the platform area through the gate and head to the ticket office. Then go back through the gates with your paper ticket and look for the platform.
— Laurens & Laura’s Travel Tips —
Pro tip: If you’re traveling with a JR-pass you may need to buy a supplement for the Fuji Excursion train. You can check this on the official website.
Best Seats on the Fuji Excursion
We searched long and hard on what are considered to be the best seats on the Fuji Excursion train. In fact if you try to look it up, search engines will often refer you to articles about where to sit on the Shinkansen instead (which is the forward facing duo seat on the right side, in case you’re wondering).
The Fuji Excursion train takes a different route though and it even switches from front-facing to rear-facing for the last 10 minutes of your journey at Fuji-san station.
We chose seats 16A and 16B, on the left side of the train and we were very happy that we did. Despite it’s direction change during the last bit of the journey, you can see mt. Fuji getting closer to you for a long time from your window.
Should you get stuck with seats on the right side, do not worry. Since the train changes you too get a chance of seeing Fuji from your window albeit a bit later on and for a shorter amount of time.
Bringing luggage on the train
There’s another reason we were very glad to have seat 16A and 16B and that’s because they’re the last two seats of the wagon. This means that behind your seat you’ll find space to easily store your luggage. Since they’re behind your seat this storage area comes with your seat reservation.
Newer model trains should also come with an extra luggage area in-front of the train, however since we got on the last train of the day our train service was ran by an older model train. This meant that aside from the luggage rack on top, there was no additional storage area available.
So make sure to avoid bringing overly large bags on the train.
Fuji Excursion Train Experience
Despite getting the ‘older model’ train, we enjoyed the on-board experience. The seats come with plenty of legroom, a nice big window and an individual table. If needed there are also toilets onboard.
The journey takes a little under 2 hours, so all you have to do is sit-back, relax and enjoy the views.
Arrival in Fujikawaguchiko
As the train approaches Kawaguchiko station, get ready for a busy arrival. The station was likely not built to process such big crowds, so it takes some time to exit the station.
Once you’re through there are multiple options for further transport with taxis and local buses waiting in front of the station building.
We opted to leave public transport for what it is and booked a rental car. If you’re looking to explore mt. Fuji at your own pace and you’re an experienced driver we definitely recommend you to do same.
Driving around the Fuji area is absolutely beautiful and being able to stop wherever and whenever you want made our trip even better. We’ve driven in Japan before, so if you want to know more about that be sure to check-out our post about renting cars in Japan.
Where to stay in Kawaguchiko
There are many types of accommodations available in Kawaguchiko and the Fuji area. From luxury Ryokans, to glamping with a view and affordable hostels there is something available for everyone!
Depending on when you’re going prices can very a lot, but it should be possible to find something for all budgets.
We stayed at the Noborisaka village and really enjoyed our stay. The rooms are set-up apartment style and are equipped with a kitchenette and full-sized fridge. There are also two comfortable semi-double beds and the main highlight is that almost every room has a view of Mt. Fuji.
More Fuji Excursion train
If you want to see what the journey from Shinjuku to Fujikawaguchiko looks like, check-out the video below we made about our trip!
Laura is the co-founder of Yes and Explore and a travel professional with over 10 years of experience in the tourism industry. She loves sharing her insider knowledge and practical tips to help you make the most of every trip.
